The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
At least one known clutch associated with an automotive vehicle is positioned immediately adjacent to or partially within an engine block of the internal combustion engine. This positioning is required because lubricant within the engine block is provided to the clutch as well. While such an arrangement may prove to be beneficial, the positioning of the clutch in this system is limited and is not necessarily desirable. Furthermore, additional special machining may be required to the engine block or other internal combustion engine components in order to provide appropriate passageways for the lubricant to reach and return from the clutch.
Other known clutch characteristics such as the generation of heat and a loss of efficiency when operating in an overrunning mode may not lend themselves for use in applications attempting to maximize energy efficiency. Accordingly, it may be desirable to provide an improved one-way clutch that does not require lubrication after initial assembly.